Dundas Castle · Photo: Peter Bond from Philadelphia, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes, Colchester is healthier than 68%
Colchester differs from New York on 16 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 8 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, from ZIP codes 12776, 13755, 13752, 13782. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Colchester
COPD, cancer and heart disease run high in Colchester
1 in 11 adults have COPD (9.2%), vs 6% across New York. 1 in 9 adults have had cancer (11.6%), vs 7.7% across New York. Heart disease is also above the state: 8.9%, vs 6.1% across New York. In all, Colchester runs above New York on six of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (New York 18%), and COPD, cancer and heart disease are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More high blood pressure in Colchester, and more people treating it
40.8% of adults have high blood pressure (New York 32.6%), but 81.1% of them take medicine for it, vs 77.2% statewide. Checkups ↓
Smoking is more common in Colchester
1 in 7 adults smoke cigarettes (14.2%), vs 11.3% across New York. Habits ↓
Colchester is healthier than its income would predict
Against all U.S. towns, Colchester is healthier than 51%. Against the 10,237 towns with similar household incomes ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%. Health Grade ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the New York figure falls outside Colchester’s likely range; Colchester’s figures come from ZIP codes 12776, 13755, 13752, 13782, which may reach past town lines; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
What’s behind Colchester’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colchester is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns. Mental distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent mental distress than 76% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 27%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Colchester’s median household income is $67,222; among the 10,237 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($50K–$84K), it’s healthier than 68%, more than its income alone would suggest.
Out of every 100 Colchester adults…
Colchester runs above NY on 6 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Colchester is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 18% across New York. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Colchester as about how healthy they are.
Keeping up with care
Share of Colchester adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks New York.
Everyday habits, side by side with New York
Share of adults, with the New York figure marked.
78 miles of trails across 19 parks and preserves
Care in and near Colchester
No hospital or community health center in Colchester itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Colchester; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Colchester adults are doing
About the same as New York on each measure.
3 in 10 Colchester adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
12.1% of Colchester adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.1% across New York.
Colchester and the towns around it
Colchester’s Health Grade ranks 4th of 6 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester | B− | 32.1% | 12.9% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Hancock | B− | 33.2% | 12.8% | 14.9% | ZIP codes |
| Andes | B | 32.2% | 13.6% | 13.2% | ZIP codes |
| Rockland | B− | 31.2% | 12.4% | 14.2% | ZIP codes |
| Hamden | B− | 33.4% | 12.3% | 14.7% | ZIP codes |
| Walton | C− | 36.1% | 14.3% | 18.3% | ZIP codes |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Colchester adults live with a disability (New York 27.2%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Colchester
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Colchester is better than New York on 8 and worse on 8; on the rest, the New York figure falls inside Colchester’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Colchester | NY | U.S. | vs NY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 19.2%16.7–21.9 | 18.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.6%13.7–17.5 | 12.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.4%13.7–17.1 | 15% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 32.1%26.4–38.3 | 28.8% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 12.9%11.3–14.7 | 11.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 40.8%37.1–44.7 | 32.6% | 34.4% | Worse |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 41%37.1–44.9 | 37.7% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 33.8%30.6–37 | 24% | 25.3% | Worse |
| Asthma | 11%9.9–12.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 11.6%10.7–12.6 | 7.7% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.9%7.9–9.9 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.2%7.9–10.5 | 6% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.5%4–4.9 | 3.4% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 14.5%12.2–17.1 | 12.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 14.2%12.1–16.6 | 11.3% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 28.6%24.4–33 | 25.9% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 15%12.7–17.5 | 16.3% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 39.6%34.3–45 | 37.9% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 6%5–7.2 | 7.9% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 82.7%80.1–85.2 | 80.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 63.2%60.1–66.3 | 63.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 90.6%89.4–91.8 | 89.2% | 87.1% | Better |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 81.1%78.7–83.4 | 77.2% | 76.5% | Better |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 72.1%68–75.9 | 66.8% | 65.5% | Better |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 77.9%71.8–83.3 | 78.9% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 20.2%17.4–23.1 | 17.5% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 30.2%25.6–35.3 | 34.2% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 23.1%19.7–26.9 | 26.4% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 13.1%10.9–15.6 | 17.2% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 10.4%8.8–12.2 | 14.5% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 6.5%5.6–7.6 | 8.2% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.1%6.1–8.1 | 8.6% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 12.1%10.1–14.4 | 14.1% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 31.5%27.7–35.4 | 27.2% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 16.5%14.4–18.8 | 13.4% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 12.5%11–14.1 | 12.1% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.5%7.6–9.5 | 5.6% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 5.3%4.8–6 | 5.2% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 8.7%7.7–9.9 | 7.7% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 4.4%3.9–4.9 | 3.8% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the New York figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Colchester
Is Colchester a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Colchester is healthier than 51% of U.S. towns: ≈ B− for health. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Colchester?
CDC estimates 32.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.4% and 38.3%, against 28.8% across New York and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Colchester?
Delaware Valley Hospital in Walton, 12.4 miles in a straight line from Colchester’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 1 of 5 stars.
How many people in Colchester have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 5–7.2%), against 7.9% across New York.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Colchester more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C− to A−.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Colchester.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The New York figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.